Authorities join private sector to rebuild tourism

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) predicted that the country may lose 100,000 to 200,000 foreign tourists following the blasts, which would mean a loss of some Bt5 to Bt10 billion in tourism income this year.
Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul, Minister of Tourism and Sports, said yesterday that tourism authorities were planning various events to restore arrivals in major centres such as Phuket and Hua Hin.
She said that the ministry would encourage tourists to visit Thailand from short-haul markets in the coming high season, especially during China’s Golden Week in October.
For the domestic market, the ministry plans to launch a campaign called “Expat for Fun” in September, which will focus on destinations in southern Thailand.
Four southern tourism groups – the Phuket Tourist Association, Thai Hotels Association Southern Chapter, Patong Hotel Association, and Kata Karon Hotel’s Business Association – have tightened security in their areas.
The associations believed that while some domestic tourists would cancel plans to visit for a short period, foreigners would keep their bookings.
Following the blasts, the average hotel occupancy rate in Phuket is 70 per cent. Hotels in the famous Patong Beach area have an occupancy rate of 80 per cent, mostly made of tourists from China, Australia, and the Middle East.
To rebuild tourism in Hua Hin, several major events are planned, such as a Hua Hin Festival of food and jazz music, which is expected to take place in September, followed by a golf event.
Three other tourism business meetings are also scheduled to take place in Hua Hin on August 21, 27 and 28. In October, there will be a special event to boost the entire domestic market in the last quarter.
Kobkarn said the agency was working with creators of the hit virtual reality game Pokemon Go to add more Pokestops and Gyms in the affected areas.
Yuthasak Supasorn, Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, said the country was planning a raft of initiatives, including a Situation Monitoring Centre and a “We Care” campaign, to ensure the safety of tourists in Thailand. The centre will provide updated information to tourists on any incident.
The agency is planning a number of special events and festivals to stimulate interest.
“To boost industry and tourist confidence, TAT is putting initiatives in place to ensure that Thailand’s positive image as a safe and welcoming tourist destination remains intact. We encourage everyone working in the field of tourism to wear special White-Yellow Ribbons – symbols of the peace and unity of the nation,” Yuthasak said.
Moreover, the ministry plans to ask the Cabinet to approve an additional long-weekend break, from September 24 to 27, to celebrate World Tourism Day on September 27 and encourage local people to travel in the country.